Pontiac stylists were nothing if not clever. They had the ability to periodically impart a refreshing new look to the 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am and Formula without serious modifications to the actual sheetmetal. Front ends displayed a more pointed bumper/grille this year, along with new quad rectangular headlamps.

If exterior changes were ingenious, under-the-hood revisions proved no less startling. First came a switch from Chevrolet's inline six to a Buick-built V-6 as base powerplant. The V-6 developed 105 horsepower, five less than the former engine.

The big-block 455-cid V-8 option was history at last, having endured far longer than many would have predicted. Trans Ams stuck with the 400-cid V-8, detuned to 180 horsepower but retaining its four-barrel carburetor and dual exhaust -- unless the buyer lived in California or at high altitude, that is, in which case the sole Firebird Trans Am choice was a 180 horsepower Oldsmobile-built 403-cid engine.

Pontiac's own 301-cid V-8, with a two-barrel carburetor delivering 135 horsepower at 4000 rpm, became standard gear in the Firebird Formula. Two 170 horsepower, four-barrel 350 V-8s could be ordered, produced by Oldsmobile or Pontiac. Each GM division was borrowing freely from its counterparts.

The 1977 Pontiac Firebird Formula could be ordered with a bold graphics package for an additional $127.

A full 15,567 of the 68,745 Trans Ams built were "Special Edition" models, also known as the "blackbird" option. The bold-look Formula appearance package was offered again, for $127.

Advertising proclaimed the "Firebird Spirit. It's grabbing life for all it's worth . . . doing it with style." Production shot up again, and rose further for '78. Pontiac proclaimed 1978 "The Best Year Yet," offering a special 220 horsepower edition of the 400-cid V-8 to Trans Am buyers.

American Motors was determined to be the first U.S. manufacturer to bring the subcompact car to the market -- and it did with the 1970 AMC Gremlin. See pictures and learn more about the 1970-1978 AMC Gremlin.

The 1970-1971 Plymouth Barracuda Convertibles were quite rare making them increasingly valuable today. Find out why these ponycars didn't make it and were only produced for two years. See photos and specifications for them here.